Over 22 lakh aspirants appear for NEET-UG retest amid tight security across India

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate courses (NEET-UG) re-examination commenced across the country and at overseas centres on Sunday, June 21, under heightened security arrangements, following the cancellation of the May 3 examination over allegations of a question paper leak.
Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the re-test began at 2 pm and is scheduled to conclude at 5:15 pm. Candidates have been provided an additional 15 minutes compared to the earlier examination.
More than 22 lakh medical aspirants are appearing for the examination, which is being held at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad. The test is being conducted in English and 12 Indian languages.
To ensure transparency and prevent malpractice, the NTA has significantly strengthened security measures. According to officials, over 95,000 examination rooms have been equipped with CCTV surveillance, while 1,38,560 CCTV cameras have been installed across centres. The surveillance feeds are being monitored virtually at the national, state and ministry levels.
In addition, 51,311 signal jammers have been deployed to prevent electronic cheating and unauthorised communication during the examination.
Candidates appearing for the retest reported stricter security checks and improved arrangements compared to the previous examination.
Meanwhile, a brief controversy emerged at an examination centre in Rajasthan's Ajmer after a candidate wearing a burqa alleged she was denied entry due to her attire. The candidate, Kulsum Bano, claimed she had appeared for the earlier examination in the same dress. However, the NTA later clarified that she was allowed to enter the examination centre.
Ahead of the examination, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged candidates to appear for the test without fear or anxiety. Speaking at an event in Delhi, he expressed confidence in the NTA, state governments, district administrations and educational institutions to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination.
Pradhan also appealed to the public to avoid actions or statements that could negatively impact students' mental health, stressing that the future of the country's youth should not be compromised.
The re-examination follows the cancellation of the May 3 NEET-UG test amid allegations of a question paper leak, a matter that remains under investigation.